Prevalence of abnormal serum lipids among overweight and obese soldiers

The U.S. military is not immune to the obesity epidemic occurring in the United States and its negative health impacts. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of abnormal serum lipid concentrations in overweight and obese U.S. Soldiers at Fort Bliss, TX. This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study of medical records of Soldiers who attended weight management classes. Study population consisted of 659 Soldiers who had at least one laboratory measure of serum lipids. The mean age of the Soldiers was 29 years and 69% were classified as obese. The prevalence of total cholesterol above the desirable limit of 200 mg/dL was 30% for men and 16% for females. Seventy percent of males and 46% of females had a low-density lipoprotein concentration above the optimal level of 100 mg/dL. Twenty-nine percent of males had elevated triglyceride levels. The odds of having elevated triglycerides were significantly higher among Soldiers who were older, male, obese, and used tobacco. The risk of elevated serum lipid levels and associated modifiable risk factors in this group of young Soldiers is concerning.